In which activity do learners ask and answer questions to uncover missing information, sometimes illustrated by a task like 'spot the differences'?

• A. Information gap activity
• B. Role play
• C. Reading comprehension
• D. Discussion

Answer: (A)

Information gap activities center on creating a situation where each learner has different information, so progress depends on asking and answering questions to uncover what’s missing. A task like spot the differences fits this idea because each person has access to different details and must communicate to reveal all the discrepancies. This type of activity builds real communication skills, including asking for clarification, negotiating meaning, and listening carefully, since the goal is to complete the shared task by filling in the gaps through dialogue.

Other activities don’t focus on uncovering missing information in the same way. Role play emphasizes acting out a scenario with assigned roles, rather than discovering data through questioning. Reading comprehension centers on understanding written text, not collaborative information gathering. A general discussion is open-ended conversation without a built-in objective to reveal missing details.